73rd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

National Standard of the 73rd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

Regimental Standard of the 73rd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

Summary

The 73rd Indiana was organized at South Bend, Indiana and mustered in August
16, 1862 for a 3 Year Enlistment. It left the state at once for Lexington, Kentucky, but
moved to Louisville early in September. It was assigned to the 20th
Brigade, 6th Division of Buell’s Army, and joined in the pursuit of
Bragg. It was in reserve at Perryville and continued in pursuit of the enemy as
far as Wild Cat. It returned to Glasgow, Kentucky, and moved thence to Gallatin,
Tennessee, where it surprised the enemy and rove him from the field, capturing
19 prisoners. The regiment marched into Nashville on November 26, then
proceeded to Lebanon, where it was in a skirmish, and moved with Rosecrans’
army to Stone’s river, which the regiment crossed on the evening of December
29, in company with the 51st, being the first of the army to make
the crossing. The 73rd was compelled to recross the river under the
fire of an entire division, and it was in sharp skirmishing on the 30th.
On the 31st, its brigade double-quicked a mile and a half to
reinforce the right wing which had been crowded back a distance of 2 miles,
taking a position and engaging twice its numbers. It fought at close range for
20 minutes, losing more than one-third the number engaged, then charged and
drove the force in its front from the field. The advance of a brigade on its
flank compelled it to fall back a short distance, but the enemy’s advance had
been checked and the right wing saved. Rosecrans complimented the regiment in
person after the battle. In these operations the regiment was under fire at the
front for six days, and was so completely exhausted it was placed in reserve on
January 3, 1863. Its loss was 2 killed, 46 wounded, and 36 missing. It was
assigned to Colonel Streight’s independent provisional brigade on April 10, and
accompanied it to Eastport, Mississippi, where it was mounted and moved to
Tuscumbia, Alabama, from which place it started on the raid into Georgia. At
Day’s gap this brigade, number 1,500, was attacked by 4,000 of Forrest’s and
Roddey’s cavalry. The 73rd, on the left flak, repulse a fierce
charge and the whole brigade then charged the enemy, driving him from the field.
The enemy reformed during the day and made a second attack at Crooked creek,
but was repulsed with a heavy loss. The brigade was again attacked at Blount’s
farm, the 73rd bearing the brunt of the fight, and Col Hathaway
being killed. At Cedar bluffs, utterly exhausted, almost out of ammunition and
surrounded, the brigade surrendered. The men were sent north on parole and
later exchanged, but the officers were sent to prison. Returning to the field
several months later, the regiment, under Maj Wade, who had been released by
the prison authorities, was placed on guard duty along the Louisville &
Nashville railroad, with its headquarters at Triune. After several minor encounters
with the enemy it was attached to the 1st Brigade, 4th
Division, 20th Corps, and during the summer of 1864, it defended
Prospect, Tennessee, against Wheeler’s raid. It was ordered to Decatur,
Alabama, in September 1864, and thence to Athens, which place it occupied and
put in an excellent state for defense, including a bomb proof in the fort. In
October, 4,000 of Buford’s cavalry with 4 pieces of artillery, appeared and
drove in the pickets, and next morning opened a heavy artillery fire, but inflicted
no damage. A demand for the surrender of the fort was refused and the fight
continued, the enemy being repulsed with heavy loss. The garrison numbered but
500. The regiment was ordered to Decatur to assist in the defense of that
point, where the garrison of 5,000 held off Hood’s army of 35,000 from October
26 to 30, the enemy finally withdrawing. The winter was passed at Stevenson,
Huntsville and Larkinsville on railroad guard duty, the regiment being engaged
in numerous skirmishes, and it was mustered out at Nashville July 1, 1865. The
recruits were transferred to the 29th Indiana, serving with that
regiment until it was mustered out. The original strength of the 73rd
was 1,020; gain by recruits, 149, total, 1,169. Loss by death, 229; desertion,
74; unaccounted for, 5.

Assignments;

20th Brigade, 6th Division, Army of
the Ohio – September 1862

20th Brigade, 6th Division, II
Corps, Army of the Ohio – to November 1862

3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Left
Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland – To January 1863

3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XXI
Corps, Army of the Cumberland – To April 1863

Streight’s Provisional Brigade, Department of the
Cumberland – To May 1863

Prisoners of War – To January 1864

1st Brigade, District of Nashville, Tennessee,
Department of the Cumberland – January 1864

1st Brigade, Rousseau’s 3rd
Division, XII Corps, Army of the Cumberland – To April 1864